When You Can’t Pass the Bar: Addiction in the Legal Profession

The legal profession often requires people to deal with piles of documents to review, short deadlines, and high stakes court appearances, which can leave many attorneys stressed out and looking for ways to unwind. This stressful environment makes substance abuse in the legal profession a common occurrence.

An estimated one in five attorneys struggles with alcoholism, and while the legal profession takes steps to help lawyers get help, all too often, the fallout of addiction can result in severe professional consequences.

Substance Abuse In the Legal Profession

Whether an attorney has won a big case or had a bad day at the office, law offices have long held a reputation for having a culture that encourages drinking. Fair or not, studies show that attorneys that have troubles with alcohol often started having difficulties handling sobriety starting in law school.

In fact, one study reported a troubling year-to-year rise in the amount of law students who abuse alcohol; of first-year law school students 15% reported that they have alcohol problems, which increased to 24% for third-years students. The same study reported that a whopping 26% of law school alums have experienced troubles with their drinking habits.

What’s more, the risk of alcoholism rises the longer they stay in the profession. On study showed that of attorneys who have practiced less than 20 years, 18% report drinking problems, increasing to 25% for attorneys who have practiced longer.

Above and beyond the prevalence of alcoholism in the legal industry, studies have also shown that attorneys that suffer from substance abuse are also more likely to have a co-occurring psychological illness. In addition, attorneys are three times more likely to battle depression than the general population.

One study indicated that 90% of serious disciplinary matters in the legal professions involve alcohol abuse. Plus, approximately 60% of all malpractice claims and 85% of all trust fund violation cases involve substance abuse.

Addiction Can Damage Professional Reputations

One of the most damaging effects alcoholism has on people is the way it aids people in abandoning their commitments. In the legal profession, even the smallest missed detail can have far-reaching ramifications, and because of this, laws are strict when it comes to enforcing professional responsibility among lawyers. Therefore, substance abuse in the legal profession is a dangerous activity that can permanently damage a legal professional’s career.

One study indicated that 90% of serious disciplinary matters in the legal professions involve alcohol abuse. Plus, approximately 60% of all malpractice claims and 85% of all trust fund violation cases involve substance abuse.

The Growth of Support within the Legal Profession

To assist attorneys in crisis and their colleagues who want to help get them treatment, the American Bar Association has created Lawyers Assistance Programs (LAPs) to educate members of the legal profession concerning alcoholism, chemical dependencies, stress, depression and other emotional health issues that can lead to self-medication. Bar associations have designed these programs to provide attorneys with effective recovery solutions. LAPs can help an attorney’s family or coworkers stage interventions, offer peer-to-peer counseling and provide emergency assistance to cover an lawyer’s practice in the event steps toward treatment are taken.

In addition, the American Bar Association recently approved a resolution requiring lawyers to receive at least one hour of mental health or substance abuse awareness training every three years. This resolution is a direct response to a 2016 study in which 20.6% of 12,825 lawyers surveyed were found to have signs of problematic drinking. The ABA’s approach is an effort to bring greater awareness to the occurrence of alcoholism and substance abuse within the legal industry, while also providing a potential stepping stone to treatment for those attorneys in need of help.

Does Alcohol Interfere with Your Legal Work?

Morningside Recovery treats lawyers, paralegals, judges and others who struggle with substance abuse in the legal profession. Whether you need alcoholism rehab or drug addiction treatment, Morningside Recovery is here to help. Contact us at 855-631-2135 for more information. Our helpline is open 24/7 and our treatment specialists will assist you in finding the right treatment option.

Sources
http://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/~/media/files/bcrupdates/bcr_ru31_attorneysandaddiction.pdf
http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/lawyer_assistance/ls_colap_krill_alcoholism_article_brf_fall14_v044n01.authcheckdam.pdf
https://www.law360.com/articles/765113/what-biglaw-can-do-about-the-industry-s-drinking-problem
http://www.benchmarkinstitute.org/t_by_t/mcle/sa.pdf

Alcohol and Legal Malpractice?

ABA Approves Changes to CLE Model Rule, Adding Substance Use, Mental Health Requirement
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/resources/lawyer_ethics_regulation/model_rules_for_lawyer_disciplinary_enforcement/rule_10.html
http://journals.lww.com/journaladdictionmedicine/Fulltext/2016/02000/The_Prevalence_of_Substance_Use_and_Other_Mental.8.aspx

Photo credit:
https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/lawyers/